Water Thick-knee
Water Thick-kneeWater Thick-kneeWater Thick-kneeWater Thick-knee

Water Thick-knee

Burhinus vermiculatus

Silhouette: Auckland Museum · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
at iSimangaliso Wetland Park
417 Verified sightings at iSimangaliso Wetland Park From 2019 to 2026
12,091 Verified sightings across all 41 parks From 2019 to 2026
January Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Water Thick-knee

The water thick-knee or water dikkop (Burhinus vermiculatus) is a species of bird in the thick-knee family Burhinidae. The species is found across sub-Saharan Africa, usually close to water. The water thick-knee has a widespread distribution in sub-Saharan Africa, being found in Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Across its range it is found on the edges of lakes, estuaries and rivers, as well as mangroves and also some sheltered beaches. It also needs bushes or nearby woodlands for shelter. It is found from sea-level to 1,800 m (5,900 ft).

There are two accepted subspecies: Burhinus vermiculatus vermiculatus — Democratic Republic of Congo to Somalia and South Africa Burhinus vermiculatus buettikoferi (Reichenow, 1898) — Liberia to Gabon The water thick-knee is 38 to 41 cm (15–16 in) and weighs 293–320 g (10.3–11.3 oz). It has a heavy... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at iSimangaliso Wetland Park

Spotted Thick-knee
LC

Spotted Thick-knee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Burhinus capensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
African Jacana
LC

African Jacana

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Actophilornis africanus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Grey-hooded Gull

Grey-hooded Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Caspian Tern
LC

Caspian Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hydroprogne caspia

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Crested Tern
LC

Crested Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus bergii

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Whimbrel
LC

Whimbrel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Numenius phaeopus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Collared Pratincole
LC

Collared Pratincole

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Glareola pratincola

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
African Wattled Lapwing
LC

African Wattled Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus senegallus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Common Sandpiper
LC

Common Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Actitis hypoleucos

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Wood Sandpiper
LC

Wood Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa glareola

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Common Greenshank
LC

Common Greenshank

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa nebularia

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Blacksmith Lapwing
LC

Blacksmith Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus armatus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~50%
2 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~50%
3 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~50%
4 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~40%
5 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~40%
6 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~40%
7 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~40%
8 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
~40%
9 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
~40%
10 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~40%
11 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~30%
12 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
~30%
13 Selous Game Reserve 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~30%
14 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~20%
15 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~20%
16 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~20%
17 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~20%
18 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~20%
19 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~20%
20 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
~20%
21 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
22 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
~10%
23 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~10%
24 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
25 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
26 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
27 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
28 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
~10%
29 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
30 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
31 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
32 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
33 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
34 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
35 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
36 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
37 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
<5%
38 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
39 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
40 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
41 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Water Thick-knee in iSimangaliso Wetland Park?

About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Water Thick-knee sighting in iSimangaliso Wetland Park, based on 417 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Water Thick-knee in iSimangaliso Wetland Park?

January has the highest sighting rate for Water Thick-knee in iSimangaliso Wetland Park in our monthly data.

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